The Legend Continues
by Taka and Keichirou
Summary: The legendary swordsman came and went......who will follow.......
1. Default Chapter

There is a legend among men,

The Samurai with death-sent eyes,

And a cross emblazoned on his cheek,

With his reverse edged sword,

He paved the way to the Meiji Era,

Battousai the Slasher,

No more was he seen,

The swordsman who killed thousands,

From the shadows he came,

Into the night he went,

Leaving behind blood and tears,

Battousai the Lost,

Then a savior appeared,

The man who protected the poor and innocent,

They hailed him as the peace,

Gentle with a sword,

He fought with compassion,

Kenshin the Wanderer,

Now the legend continues….

Prologue

The young boy scrambled away in fear from the leering man towering over him. He shook visibly as the brute grinned, showing blackened gums and broken teeth, his stick tapping, almost in a malicious tease, on the dirt. Brown eyes dilated, reflecting the stick being raised, slowly, then coming down fast….

"Yah……mah…..tae….."

The weapon halted in mid-air as the thug turned to see the unfortunate soul who dared to interrupt him, "Eh?" Raven hair swirled in the slight breeze, long eyelashes lifted, revealing cobalt eyes that harbours the determination of a slayer. The pale girl stood proud, a slender hand on the hilt of a sword. "Yah…….mah……tae….." she repeated. "Ha!" guffawed the man, an ulterior motive glinting in his sickly looking eyes, "And just what are you going to do, wench?"

_Typical of a boor to dishonour me by name-calling_ she thought in foul mood but her pastel pink lips curved upwards into a hidden smile. The next second, she was in the air, spiralling towards the surprised man. Her sword, still in it's sheath, twirled and she thrusted it out, contacting with his shoulder blades. Down he went, in a yowl of anguish, tears streaming down his scruffy face as he begged cowardly. Disgusted, she turned away, holding out an arm to the boy……who suddenly gasped, "Iya! Ne-chan!"

The sword swung up, squarely hitting the already dazed brute, who was hovering madly behind, on the underside of his chin. The force lifted him a few inches off the ground, then he was sprawled flat on his face, unconscious.

Looking a little guilty, the young woman rubbed her head, " Hehe….didn't mean to do that…..arre, dai jou bu?" she turned to the boy, who nodded in incredulity. Bringing up her hand in a salute, she smiled and sauntered away. He looked at the huge man on the ground, then at the vanishing figure, as if in disbelief…..before deciding to pipe up an 'arigato', and running off.

Tbc

By Sukunami Taka


	2. Chapter OneIntroduction

The legend continues

By Sukunami Taka

Chapter one – Introduction

She peered cautiously in. The dojo com house was in darkness, all was quiet save the rustling of leaves swaying in the wind, so she sighed a breath of relief before tip-toeing across the garden to the back…..

" I believe that that is MY sword, Kyoshi….."

__

Ichi……she grimaced..caught on her tenth step. The moon came into light, illuminating a still shadow on the porch. Fiery hair tinged with age parted to reveal calm pale-lavender eyes. The man, dressed in a red qi-pao, was seated complacently on his knees, awaiting an answer from the young woman who was so-in-trouble if she was caught by her mother.

"Hehehe….ohaiyo, otousan….."

"Ohaiyo? Oiyasumi is more like it….your qi-pao is torn, there's mud under your foot….you've been fighting by the river?"

"Ichi…." Himura Kyoshi pouted, trying to mimic puppy-dog eyes, " Komen, otousan….demo…hehe….you won't tell 'kasan……will you?"

Sighing in defeat, Kenshin smiled, unable to win over his beloved daughter, "Come here…." As she plopped next to him, he patted her ebony hair, ruffling it up in a playful manner. Kyoshi whined in response, tugging away Kenshin's sleeve. After a while, his face grew serious and he took a deep breath, "Kyoshi…." "Eh….hai, narni?"

" There was a government official here today……there's trouble in the capital…."

"Sho…..shoka….."

" I'll have to go….with okasan……anatawa wa kat ta des ka?"

Her hands clenched, as Kyoshi bit her lower lip, holding back tears, "When….?"

" Tomorrow…." He squeezed her tensed shoulder and murmured reassuringly, " Dai jou bu…you'll have Yoshi-jisan and Suzi and Yumi-nesan…."

" It's not that……otousan, you'll come back, right?"

He paused, then kissed her on the head, " Hai, hai, I promise……"

" KENSHIN….." a grumbling voice came from inside. "Oro…." He beamed and laughed, " Okasan's calling….go to sleep, ok, Kyo?" "Um…" she nodded, watching her father shamble back inside. As the moon slinked behind trailing clouds, a solitary figure remained, hunched in thought…..

~

Myojin Yohiko, now a strapping young man, lugged the heavy bags onto the cart, his face contorted in annoyance all the while. "Kaoru!" he grumbled.

Kenshin, his royal-blue clothes fluttering gently, hugged his silent daughter, "Look after the dojo, ok, my little samurai?" he whispered. Kyoshi gulped back what she had wanted to say. Instead, she nodded and grinned, " Wakata, otousan…"

As they set off, Himura Kaoru looked back at the group-Yumi and Suzi, two beautiful women who never stop smiling, and Yahiko, pretending to be tough, and her daughter, standing determinedly. "Kenshin," she started but was cut off by the red haired samurai, looking forward intently on the road, " She's growing up….I'm sure she'll be fine……don't worry…."

Kaoru giggled, knowingly, "I wonder who's the one who's worried," she chided her easy-going husband……

Kenshin suddenly halted the cart, startling Kaoru, "Ken….arre…."

A man, blowzy brown hair covering his eyes, stood by the road, unassuming. With bandages wrapped around his chest, arms, and legs, and an immense sword that towered high over his head, he winked and catapulted easily into the cart, behind the couple.

"Oro," Kenshin glanced back, wondering. Sagara Sanosuke, his long time friend, laughed, a booming sound that scattered the birds away, "Trouble in the capital, and Kenshin the wanderer is on his travels again, so I must follow, neh?" Kenshin chuckled, flicking the reins to continue once more, "What about…." Lounging blissfully, Sanosuke closed his eyes, "Don't worry, I've sent Shota to your place….he can keep your Kyoshi company, and she, him out of trouble…." "Hai, hai…."

~

Dawn's light filtered through the shutters, rousing Kyoshi. She lay awake, refusing to get up. _Day number one, how many to go?_ She thought sullenly, turning on her side, to see………tawny hair covered his youthful face which was resting, half-hidden in his arms, and a dark colored blanket lied over his seemingly bare well-toned body. The man slept on, unaware of Kyoshi, whose jaw had dropped in utter indignant shock. Furious at the sight of the trespasser, Kyoshi picked up the first thing she found (unfortunately for the stranger, it was her kendo stick) and the result…..

He jolted awake, yelping in pain with each contact of the weapon, as a female scream echoed ( shatteringly) through the house…….

A/N Taka: ano……..well, how do you like it? Should I continue? This is my first Rurouni Kenshin fic….and I've just started watching the anime….so…..arre……….read and review…..arigato…….


	3. New Family

The Legend Continues

By Sukunami Taka

Chap Two- New Family

"NANI!?!" an extremely horrified Kyoshi nearly toppled backwards. She glowered at the youth, who was calmly pulling his newly laid bandages tight, still not believing that…..that….., "HE is going to LIVE HERE? HERE?!" Yahiko scratched his head, leaning against the wall, "It looks that way…." "NANDA!?!" At Kyoshi's super-loud super-annoying screeching, the young man looked up, a fawn eyebrow raised, "Oi! Don't think that I wanted this any more than you do……che…..oyagi is so thick-headed…..Shota, get over there right now or you'll get it from me," he mimicked his father. "Che…." He huffed. Yahiko laughed inwardly, the two youngsters scowling at each other reminding him how Kaoru, Sanosuke and him used to tease one another……_I suppose I'll have to play the adult now…..Shota and Kyoshi….sousta Suzumi and Yumi….arre, arre, we're going to be family now…..demo, I still wish Kenshin didn't have to go….still…. _"Arre, arre….Kyo, the first class will be starting soon….iko…." he got up, tugging the defiant girl along with him. Sagara Shota paused, glancing at the empty spaces, the he pulled his dark shirt together, slipping out of the dojo…….

"HAH!" a roomful of Kamiya Kasshin's dojo students stabbed and thrusted their kendo sticks in rhytmn with their sensei Yahiko and assistant Kyoshi. Her flowing raven hair tied back with a ribbon and brows knitted in determination, Kyoshi followed her ojisan's perfectly executed steps with forceful strength, trying to work off her anger. All of a sudden, a body crashed through the shutters, sending splintering wood and ragged thin cardboard showering over everyone. A badly cut Shota laid agonizing on the floor, viscous blood staining the pine parquet as it oozed darkly from a deep wound in his side. Yahiko immediately leapt to the injured man, cradling his head close to him, "KYO! Get Megumi sensei! Now!" Kyoshi was already out the door, skidding sideways on her zori, as the sable haired man lugged Shota with some effort and rested him upon a mattress…..

The maiden sank to the floor, exhausted. She wiped her damp forehead with the back of her sleeve as one hand smoothed back silvery hair. "Dai….dai jou bu des ka?" whispered Yumi. "Ha….he'll need to stay still for a few days…." "Sou…arigato sensei….."

Shota stirred, oak brown eyes fluttering. As he became conscious to reality, he struggled up, only to be held back by Yahiko. Baring his teeth, he lashed out unsteadily, "Let me go! Ai…ite…ite….oi!" Annoyed, Kyoshi bashed the flailing Shota on the head, nearly rendering him unconscious again. Yahiko grimaced, "Kyo!" "Nani yo? Sensei said that he should not move around….humph, I'm doing him a favor…." In response, Sano's boisterous son kicked her, thudding her on the ground, "Thanks but no thanks…."

"Where are you going?!" bellowed Yahiko. "Move…I need to….ite…there's….itee…" "Whatever you need to do, it can wait….."

"You don't understand! There's a gang of swordsmen uptown who are running a syndicate! Oyagi and I have been following them for ages! I need to…..ite…"

Kyoshi rosed, brushing her hakama, lips slightly parted. Hooking a free strand of hair behind her ear, she placed a hand on the raging man's shoulder, her eyes dark, "You should wait until your wounds heal….any good swordsman knows that one should fight at one's best abilities and strength….you're in no condition to go after armed men by yourself…." Shota clenched, frustrated…..and abruptly curled around, covering himself with the blankets. The others shuffled out quietly, deciding to leave him in peace, and as Kyoshi blew out the candle flame, she smiled……

~

flashback~ eyes narrowed, he glanced quickly from one leering man to another, twenty in all. Bracing himself, his raised hands were poised in front of him, prepared to lash out punches. In one instance, all twenty advanced on him, dealing out blows with kicks and clubs. He snapped around, trying to hit as many as he could, then a sharp pain stabbed him in the side. He fell, wincing hard….as laughter rang from the men who walked away……~

Shota's eyes blinked, a tear running down one side of his face. His body tense, he curled up even more, hating that he could do nothing. Slowly his hand released the clutched sheets of the mattress, as sleep cloaked him in little comfort.

A/N Taka: anon…another chapter done….what do you think?


	4. First Fight

The Legend Continues

Chapter Three First Fight

By Sukunami Taka

Thundering footsteps upon wooden floors thudded past, jerking Sagara Shota awake……_nani_……pushing himself upon his elbows, his large fawn-like eyes stared sleepily at the closed shutters. Curious of the muffled yells coming from the adjacent room, Shota quickly pulled on his shirt and peeped through the slight opening to see a raving Myojin Yahiko cursing the air while Gensai Suzumi giggled in fear. All of a sudden, the door slammed open, nearly trapping Shota's fingers as he fell backwards with his feet in the air, his face showing pain. Opening one eye, the lad grinned sheepishly at the frowning Yahiko who lugged him on his feet….

"ow! Hey, watch the wound!"

"if you can yell, you're better……now, where did you say those swordsmen were?"

"huh?"

"S..w…o…r..d..s……m….e….n…….wakata? where?"

"hu…huh?"

"man, did you also inherited your father's stupidity? Baka that Sano……..where are those swordsmen who you very stupidly went after alone yesterday? That other baka Kyo has disappeared and I can guess what she's up to……"

"kyo? Masaka!"

"great……just as slow too…….Sanosuke number two………"

"…………"

"are….oi! mat te!"

"Yoshi? Sagara-san? Moh……where did they all go…….there's chores to be done…..Ayumi!"

Two dark figures raced through backyard alleys and past rundown shacks to the north of town-

~a glimmering sword slices upwards, rendering three men unconscious and then cut through in a crescent shape, finishing off another two…..~

"I mean……..maybe she'll realize that she can't do anything and just go back…." Panted Shota, trying not to stumble…

"yeah…like you did as you were drenched in your own blood," Yahiko answered dryly, "Anyway, that dratted girl has got my sword…"

~a smile played upon the cherry pink lips as the slim girl bends forward, her right foot steady but light in front. With her left, she pushes forward and in one clean swipe, pulls her sword out and up, "Hiten mitsurugi-ryu rai ryu sen!", then doubled up and hit another grimacing man on the back, "Kamiya kasshin style! Hah!"~

"maybe they won't do anything to her…….just hurt her a little bit……if she's lucky…."

"Hah! I'm more worried about what she'll do to them!"

"she's that good?"  
"better than you…at least she's got a sword….."

"che…….."

~ "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah……..Rai ryu sen! Orra!" Seven bodies slumped forward, widen eyes glazed…….~

Shota and Yahiko burst through the open doorway, chests heaving as they panted. The young sensei of Kamiya Kasshin Dojo gripped his wooden sword, prepared to fight if the rogues would not surrender Kyoshi to them………only to see rows of flattened swordsmen lying dazed on the ground and a complacently beaming Himura Kyoshi in the middle of the square, scratching her head as if she did not know quite what had happened…

"Kyo! What the heck!"

"Hehehehe…..ichi………komen…….they just went down so easily……..heheh…."

"That is NOT what I meant! You baka child! sheesh…. I knew this would happen when Kenshin and Cori got married………you, get over here right now!"

"mou……nanda yo?? It's not my fault that they were so easily defeated……one hit and boom….down they went……che……dangerous swordsmen indeed……….."

At this moment, a twitching nerve was pounding upon Shota's forehead. He glared in disbelief at the befallen men, recognizing a few that had defeated him and his hand clenched at the thought that a…..a…..a _girl_ had wiped out the very syndicate that had given him so much trouble……………_sornna_…….

---

"Hahahhahhaha……….oi yu shi………mortto!!! Onegai!!!" Kyoshi happily chomped on the fish, her small mouth sucking on the chopsticks. Around her was the entire gang……. Yahiko was ordering more sake, while Ayumi chatted with Tsubame, and Suzumi diligently putting in more meat into the steaming pot……..and a very sullen Shota was sulking, chewing on his piece of blowfish in the corner……he still could not believe the fact that _she_ wiped out the Tsurugaka Syndicate……._baka_….

"hahahahahaha……." Kyoshi blushed while baring her full set of teeth, "Nande mon naiyo……hahaha…….just a few men, that's all!! Hehehehe….."

As a few kids gazed up at her adoringly, Shota had had it…….he placed his bowl down in a clatter and leapt up, "che! That baka roo could not have possibly done it herself! I bet that they were already beaten by some other warrior and that she just went in there at the right time!"

"NANI! Say that again!!!!!"

"what?!! Can't you hear??? You baka roo!!!!!!"

"why you!!!!!"

A chibi Kyoshi jumped on Shota, strangling his little neck forcefully as his palm smashed her face against the wall…..they pushed against one another and ended up rolling on the floor…..

Yahiko sighed…….and called for more sake…………


	5. Goodbye Yahiko!

The Legend Continues

Chapter Four- Goodbye Yahiko?!

By Sukunami Taka

"You potato sack!!! You are like a humpy dumpy old burlap that no one would marry!!!!!!"

"Who cares???!!!! You feeble useless softie who can't even take out a couple of low-lives!!!! No girl would like _you_!!!!!!! NYAH!!!!" Himura Kyoshi stuck out her tongue at the red-faced Sagara Shota who immediately responded by hitting her on the head, then leaping out of the way of her kendo weapon. The two raced each other throughout the dojo, crashing through furniture and shutters and nearly bulldozed into Gensai Suzumi who was carrying a lunch tray laden with food.

"Oi, miina……don't be long or your soup will get cold," she called out to the disappearing flash of crimson cloth.

Kyoshi tore after the wily Shota as he attempted to get out of the house. In between, they threw anything their hands could come into contact with; books, pots, sandals, brooms, Miyaka……

Kyoshi gave a yelp and double backed, catching the two-year-old toddler just before she fell to the floor. The raven-haired samurai breathed in relieve as Ayumi rushed to her adopted daughter. Behind her, little Jin smiled shyly while twitching his fingers as a sign of hello, and his older brother Makoto looked on in silence. Miyaka gurgled, crying out 'Kyo-ee' with her limbs stretched out in the hope to be carried but Kyoshi smiled apologetically and ran off after her nemesis.

Sanosuke's seventeen-year-old son laughed, seeing the door to freedom right in front of him. He could hear Kyoshi's footsteps and cursings behind and he hurried…..but he forgot about the stepping and fell over head first. With a thud, Kyoshi flew into him and landed sprawled across. The two struggled, arms and legs flailing as they pushed and grappled………a clearing of a throat made the youths stare up to the disapproving scowl on Myojin Yahiko's face. Both grinned, eyes wide in innocence but the scowl deepened.

"Eh hehehe…….ji-chan…." Kyoshi got up, grin still apparent, but Yahiko ignored her until the other stood next to her. In a sudden sweep, the first sensei of the Kamiya Dojo twisted the conflicting foes around and hung on to the collar of their hakama. Paying no attention to their yells, he knocked their heads together as he dragged them behind him…….to the training room.

---

"NANI?????!!!!!" cried out Kyoshi and Shota simultaneously. Yahiko calmly sipped his tea, a habit he picked up from Kenshin, and nodded. His wide brown eyes opened, looking at the dismay faces of his two charges, and he grinned to himself.

"But…..but……."

"You 'but' any more time and you see where I hit you…." Scolded Yahiko.

Kyoshi wailed, "But you can't _LEAVE_??????!!!!!!!!!"

Getting up smoothly, her sensei and long time friend casually slung a bag on his shoulder, "I can and I'm going to…."

"But…..you can't leave me with _him_………." She stabbingly pointed at the insulted Shota.

"Huh! Who would want to be left with you, you bag of turnip!!!!"

"SEE!!!!! You baboon faced garbage can!!!!"

"Nyah!!!!! Tomboy! Tomboy!"

"Wait till I…….!!!!!"

Yahiko sighed, shaking his head….. "URUSAI!!!!!"

The squabblers halted in mid-punch. 

"This is _EXACTLY _why I am going away. You two can't get along and is driving _me_ insane! Unless you can stop fighting, I won't come back……I believe there's a nice place in the mountains…lots of air………"

The two stared dumb-faced at Yahiko leaving while waving back with one hand, then they resumed tearing at each other's hair and flinging punches.

As night fell………a rumbling sound ensued….

"Oi………stop that…."

Shota flicked a strand of grass at Kyoshi who was nearly toppling over, "You try to stop……… hang ah eta……….." his stomach grumbled again, "Moh……..see what you did? You had to chase away the only one who could cook….."

Kyoshi stuck out her tongue, then collapse on the floorboards, hands supporting her head, "Che………Ayumi and Suzumi had to go look after Miya…..wait a time to get a fever………and ji-chan had to go and get a fit……….and it's YOUR fault too!!!!!" 

"Humph!" Shota collapse behind her, so that they laid head-to-head, "Moh……..fine fine…..it's both our fault……now what do we do for food? I'm going to die from hunger…….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa………."

The girl bolted upright and grinned, rather evilly in the moonlight, "Wakata! _I'll_ cook! It can't be that hard….."

"Ehhhhhh…….can you?" Shota lifted an eyebrow, but she was already up and running to the kitchen.

"Get some firewood!!!" she yelled back. He sighed and unwillingly got up.

After several puffs of black smoke into her face, Kyoshi went bleary eyed. Leaning against the doorframe, Shota ran his hand through his soft fawn hair, yawning for the 21st consecutive time. _The stubborn girl had been hunched over the stove for the past half an hour, and the result was burnt water and blackened rice……at least she could be given credit for not giving up_, Shota thought, _ehhyayaya_….. he was startled by the sudden appearance of Kyoshi in front of him.

"Nani yo!!!" he snapped, agitated.

She held up a plate of white rice in front of his face and grinned broadly, "Taste…….!"

Tentatively, he took a spoonful, and spat it right out………

"It's not even cooked!!!!!!!" he yelled. 

She snapped up, stomping back to the stove. Dumping the rice back in the wok, she started stirring furiously.

Shota finished cleaning his mouth free of rice and glared at her, "Humph!!! Why don't you just say you can't cook!!!!! You're wasting my time. Che………even Miyaka could cook better than you!!! You must have inherited your uncooking skills from your mothe…………"

CLANG!

Shota fell backwards in a whirl, head spinning as a large frying pan clattered to a rest on the floor. A massive gray mark was left on his face as his eyes went starry…………….

Suzumi grimaced from the window, sorry for the poor boy for aggravating Kyoshi. In her hands, she held a basket of warm plates of food, supposedly for the two, but now she was fearful to even step into the house. Shota had recovered from his shock and started grabbing a few utensils, going after the cackling girl. Suzumi sighed, returning to the gate with a what-to-do smile………………

The peaceful night sky filled with sounds of crashes and bangs, as the Kamiya Dojo ruptured once more with angry curses and thrown objects………..

Taka: ano, how did you like this chapter?


	6. Quiet Bear

The Legend Continues

Chapter Five- Quiet Bear

By Sukunami Taka

_And if strength should fail you, then remember your heart and those who love you, and you shall prevail against dark enemies in these dark times…_

-Excerpt from Himura Kenshin's un-posted letter to his daughter

Hot tears filled the baby blue eyes as her cheeks flushed. The messenger from Shinomori Aoshi shifted uncomfortably before her, eyes carefully focused on the piece of paper held in the girl's very still hands. For Himura Kyoshi, it seemed an eternity as she knelt there, reading and re-reading every last line, until at last she calmed herself to manage not to tremble as she spoke.

"Arigato. It must have been a difficult journey to get this here…." She said in a low voice.

Clearing his throat, the messenger bowed, "The Oniwabanshu pride ourselves with supplying information. If we couldn't even smuggle a letter through, I fear okashira Misao would kill us." He smiled grimly, not with thoughts of the playful threat but of the stark reality that he has seen and which Kyoshi could only imagine with each piece of news.

For several weeks, there had been rumors of a revolution against the current Meiji government, and finally the truth has reached Kyoto. The neo-royalists party has led troops of massive proportions against the capital and several other key cities, taking over the government buildings as newly-elected ministers of the Party work from the inside. There has been several uprisings and barriers brought to the Meiji officials before, many of which were halted by the legendary samurai wanderer Himura Kenshin, but none as stationary and seemingly permanent one as this. The Party's members were not taking over with brute force or fearsomeness, but with words carefully guised and the people were being won over even though peace has reined for over twenty years. The Oni gang however, had gained valuable information that it was not all as it seems and that the Party _had _carried out acts of massacre and is holding government officials with bribes and threats. Now the government expects Kenshin to step in and right everything, as he did years ago.

_Why tousan? What do they want him to do? Those bureaucrats always expect things to be handed to them on a silver platter_………

These were the bitter thoughts that went through Kyoshi's mind, thoughts that had collected every time she saw her beloved father accomplish his 'national duties', fears that she had fully understood or come to terms with until now……….

With care, she folded the letter from her mother and turned away. The Oni follower took it as a signal and stood up to leave. As he passed the door, he nodded in respect to a young man who was pausing there. Myojin Yahiko watched sadly as drops of tears fell upon the bowed woman's lap, unbidden yet falling nonetheless……

---

"Leave it outside her door, Suzumi…."

The tawny haired woman stopped, "Demo….."

But Yahiko shook his head, and waved his chopsticks at the tray of food in her hands, "She needs to be alone. When she's hungry she'll eat……"

Though she would have wanted to see Kyoshi, Suzumi obeyed, her light colored kimono swishing around the corner. Her sister, Ayumi, frowned in worry, "She'll be alright, won't she?" 

Beside her, her three children continued eating eagerly, little Miyaka smashing her fists into her potatoes, but Makoto's ears perked up even though his head was looking at his bowl. Yahiko sighed, putting down his soup, "I hope so………she just misses Kenshin……." Picking his food up again, he slurped away, but his brown eyes kept straying outside the room where Suzumi had gone…

---

In the dim darkness and comfort of her blankets, Kenshin's young daughter laid awake. Her filling azure eyes stared at the flickering flame next to her, being absorbed by the hypnotic emptiness within the heart of the fire. Then she stirred herself, and took a small note out of her pocket. She had found it in her room the day her father had left, just something he had scribbled down for her……….

Slowly she read, the words forming the picture of her dear mentor and confidante……….

__

Though I may leave you in body, I am with you in spirit…….be strong, my little samurai, my quiet bear…………

__

Quiet bear , the meaning of her name………..Kyoshi thought for a long time, before keeping back her treasure, then she looked at the sword at peace beside her body. Her slender fingers traced down the fine wooden sheath, and it gripped onto the firm wrapped handle, a sword worthy of a true samurai, like her father…….it was her other possession that she found with the note, something that she didn't tell even to Yahiko……now she held it close, feeling her father's hand and mind within it, with her….and the tired long-lashed eyes closed, weary from silenced cries……. 


End file.
